After the severe gray crisis at the end of the summer that cost Vahid Halilhodzic his job, Morocco qualified as the first group for the round of 16
At the end of August, the Moroccan team was a powder keg, caught in a serious crisis that led to the resignation of its great star and an urgent change of coach to try to turn the situation around. It was a huge challenge, but Walid Regragui achieved it with an impeccable first phase, historic for the ‘Lions of the Atlas’. First of a group containing Belgium, third at the World Cup in Russia, and Croatia, no less than a finalist. And with only one goal conceded this afternoon after beating Canada. Morocco had not reached the round of 16 since 1986 and now they have the chance to dream of a quarter-final in their sixth World Cup appearance. His rival comes next Tuesday from the quartet consisting of Spain, Germany, Japan and Costa Rica.
Morocco has a large block of players at this World Cup, but it would be unfair not to refer to their coach as the architect of a break in trend following the open crisis between Vahid Halilhodzic and Hakim Ziyech. Let’s summarize. The Bosnian coach led the North Africans to qualify for Qatar after winning the tie against the Democratic Republic of Congo. But by then the crisis had already erupted and due to differences of opinion between the coach and the Moroccan star, Ziyech announced that he would no longer play for Morocco. In fact, the Chelsea striker was not called up for the Africa Cup. “Even if I were Lionel Messi, I can’t name a player like Ziyech. It can ruin the atmosphere in the group,” the Morocco coach said at the time.
But the Moroccan federation did not have the same view as the Bosnian coach and decided to settle the situation in view of the World Cup in Qatar. At the end of August, he fired Halilhodzic and challenged Walid Regragui. Don’t just take the reins of the Atlas Lions, try to repeat the feat of 1986, that is, get past the group stage. And Regragui had no doubts about it. He had three months, but he was able to ease the situation, get Ziyech back and restore harmony in a group of players who have proven their worth in these first three matches in Qatar.
Born just seven kilometers from the border with Ceuta, Regragui made his career as a footballer in France, playing for clubs like Toulouse, Dijon, Ajaccio, Grenoble… -back where he left a fond memory. After finishing his sports career, he started his career as an assistant coach to coach Rachid Taoussi and later built a solid reputation at FUS Rabat and Wydad Casablanca, with experience in Qatar in 2020. «I admire Guardiola, Simeone, Ancelotti… but i have my own style. I’ve been coaching for 8-9 years and in the beginning I put a lot of emphasis on possession and high pressure, but I’ve become more pragmatic over the years. At Wydad, winning was the most important thing and you learn to adapt your style to the players,” Regragui explained when he arrived in Morocco regarding his style book. True to that style, this methodical coach with character has given the team its own identity given, competitive and hard-working, a far cry from the indiscipline prevalent in other African blocs.
In this World Cup, the brilliance of its big star, Ziyech, was expected, but in this last game against Canada, an old acquaintance of Spanish football as Youssef En-Nesyri has been discovered. They are two of the most famous players in a group in which Sevilla goalkeeper Bono also stands out. In defense, Achraf Hakimi (PSG), Noussair Mazraoui (Bayern) and Nayef Aguerd (West Ham) stand out, while in midfield another classic like Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina) continues to collect games.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
